Senior Health: Facts About Diabetes

Edmonton Senior Health  |  March 27, 2019

What Every Senior in Edmonton, AB, Needs to Know About Diabetes

Facts About Diabetes | Many people are misinformed about diabetes. Some don’t realize that it’s a serious disease. There are several myths about diabetes, who gets it and why, and what can be done. Know the facts so you can help yourself or a loved one. The following may be helpful.

Facts About Diabetes:

Fact: Diabetes is serious. More people die annually from diabetes than from breast cancer and AIDS. Diabetics are also almost twice as likely to suffer a heart attack.

Fact: Diabetes isn’t just a disease for overweight adults. Most overweight people won’t have type 2 diabetes, although carrying extra weight is a risk factor. Family history, ethnicity, and age also determine health and wellness.

Fact: Sugary sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, fruit drinks, and sweet teas may not always cause diabetes, but they raise blood glucose levels and should be mostly avoided if you live a healthy lifestyle. Genetics and other unknown factors trigger type 1 diabetes, but genetics and lifestyle factors trigger type 2 diabetes. Either way, small portions of desserts and sweets are best and should only be eaten occasionally.   

Fact: The truth is that diabetics benefit from the same healthy diets, with whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, just like anyone else. Those foods labelled “diabetic” or “dietetic” that might raise blood glucose levels are usually expensive, and always unnecessary.

Fact: Starchy foods don’t have to be eliminated. They can be part of a healthy diet when eaten in small portions. Ask your doctor about portion sizes of potatoes, yams, peas, and corn.

Fact: Every diabetic doesn’t have to take insulin. Type 2 diabetes is progressive, but many people with this disease learn to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Some take oral medicine, but insulin is not always necessary.

Facts About Diabetes Symptoms:

Know the symptoms. Some people fail to recognize them because they’re so mild. One in 11 Americans has type 2 diabetes, and 1 in 4 of those people don’t even know it, so keep this list of symptoms and check back to it from time to time.

• Difficulty feeling satiated although eating enough
• Excessive thirst
• Tingling, pain, or numbness in the hands/feet (type 2)
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Noticeably slow healing of cuts or bruises
• Weight loss, even though you are eating more (type 1)

Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is Proud to Offer a Wide Range of Home Senior Care Services

Our trained caregivers will ensure your loved one is comfortable, independent and safe in their home. On top of that, we will also aim to enhance their overall health, quality of life and general happiness. 

Top-Notch Home Healthcare for Seniors in Edmonton, Alberta

Comfort Keepers of Edmonton offers a broader range of senior care services. We offer retirement care, respite care, senior care, companionship care, end-of-life care, post-surgery care, palliative care, personal care, and senior living transition services. If you are concerned about the health and well-being of your aging loved ones, we can provide 24-hour care and more!

Helping Seniors Age-in-Place with Companionship Care and Interactive Caregiving™

Empathetic care starts in the heart and allows us to meet our client’s needs. Our trained caregivers are selected with one specific quality in mind, empathy. We strive to stimulate our clients emotionally, mentally and socially, thus enhancing their overall quality of life. 

Our Interactive Caregiving™ provides a system of care that addresses companionship, safety, nutrition, mind, body, and activities of daily living (ADLs). The system increases seniors’ sense of well-being, independence and companionship by focusing on Senior Mind, Senior Body, Senior Nutrition, and Senior Safety.

Affordable and Client-Directed Homecare is Available for Qualifying Albertans

Comfort Keepers® Edmonton is an Approved Service Provider for the Client Directed Homecare Invoicing (CDHCI) Program Offered by Alberta Health Services. 

What is the Client Directed Home Care Invoicing Program (CDHCI)?

CDHCI is a great program provided by Alberta Health Services (AHS), allowing clients to choose an approved agency like Comfort Keepers Edmonton for Personal Care, Respite Care and Homemaking needs. The chosen agency can then bill AHS directly for services rendered for approved hours through Alberta Blue Cross. Read more about the program HERE.

Accredited Home Care Edmonton

Comfort Keepers® Edmonton was awarded the “Accredited with Exemplary Standing” seal by Accreditation Canada. This honour demonstrates Comfort Keepers’ commitment to offering safe, high-quality home care to its senior clients in Edmonton, AB.

To learn more about senior in-home care in Edmonton, contact the Comfort Keepers® office. Our service territory includes Edmonton, Devon, Sherwood Park, Stony Plain and surrounding areas, contact the Comfort Keepers Edmonton office at 780-465-4665.

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